1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of laptop computers. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a portable rest device for use with a laptop computer.
2. Brief Description of the Current Technology
The use of laptop computers has become widespread in the past several years. When they first appeared on the market, their relative light weight and flexibility of use was offset by important disadvantages in terms of performance, screen size, robustness and cost in comparison with desktop computers. However, the technology has evolved to such a degree in recent years that their advantageous characteristics have become even more attractive and their disadvantages have been significantly overcome. Consequently, laptop computers are nearly commonplace.
The aforementioned advantages of laptop computers are such that many users make use of such computers in a very different environment than that found in most office buildings. Indeed, laptop computers are now frequently employed in situations whereby the user finds himself or herself in a comfortable chair without the use of a desk and where the laptop computer generally rests on the user's lap while the user is in a sitting position. Although such a position can be comfortable for a few minutes, an important impediment to maintaining such a position for a lengthy period of time is the discomfort which naturally arises from the use of laptop computers in such a position. Such discomfort is due to three factors:    1. A modern laptop computer generates a non-negligible amount of heat. When the bottom of the laptop computer is in direct contact with a user's thighs, this heat contributes to a higher than ambient operating temperature which consequently tends to transfer itself to the user by means of thermal conduction through the bottom part of the laptop computer to the user's thighs.    2. The bottom part of laptop computers is generally made of metal and/or plastic. Metal or plastic surfaces in direct contact with a user's lap, whether clothed or not, whether or not heat is generated by such surfaces, eventually lead to discomfort. The user's thighs tend to generate heat, which if not dissipated, leads to an increase in temperature, thereby causing perspiration, thereby contributing to user's discomfort.    3. A user, whether or not annoyed by increased temperatures due to non-dissipated heat, tends to spread apart or move toward each other his (her) thighs in a random fashion, thereby occasionally blocking ventilation ports of the laptop computer which should normally contribute to cooling down the laptop computer. Such behaviour therefore contributes to less efficient internal cooling of the laptop computer, higher internal operating temperatures and thereby contribute to increased user discomfort.
Consequently, there is a need for a portable rest device for a laptop computer which addresses these three problems and which thereby contributes to increase the user's comfort while using a laptop computer in a sitting position in the absence of a desk.